Manner of the Crazy
by Sinead Rivka
Summary: .:Beast Wars:. A comedy fic that I had meant to be only one chapter, but it obviously had other ideas. It's really about one girl, and how she got to know the Beast Warriors in a way that seems almost TOO strange to be true.
1. Part One

The Manner of the Crazy

By: Sinead

_**Author's Note:** You know you're bored, when you start writing random fics like this. Yeah. I'm bored. AND THERE'S MORE TO COME, TOO!!! Gah . . . you gotta love being an author, ne? Oh, and I don't own Heero's Patented Death Glare. That belongs to Sunrise Entertainment under the "Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Project." And Beast Wars and the characters therein belong to Mainframe/Hasbro. I own me. Boo-freaking-ya._

Part One

You never knew what you would end up doing as an adult. I mean, I certainly never did. Hmph. I thought that I was going to be a photographer. Well, I really am, but the material I photograph isn't what I was originally planning. Hey! You with your mind in the gutter! YEAH, YOU!!! GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THERE BEFORE I GET MY HUSBAND TO BEAT YOU!!!

Ahem. Excuse my small outburst. You see, I'm the official photographer of the Beast Warriors. I hadn't even thought about being this, well, informal with them. They're really normal people . . . or as normal as you can be.

"SINEAD!!!"

insert patented "Heero's Glare of Death" here

"Rampage, if I _ever_ catch you trying to break into my dark room again, I'll have Dinobot BEAT YOUR SORRY SKIDPLATE!!!"

"Right. As if _he_ could do anything to me?"

"Did you want to find out? No? Then wait."

Do you know how annoying this could be? These acting robots are quite different than their characters. For instance, Waspinator, who was standing next to me. He held up the negative, fresh from the chemicals. "Is this the one you were looking for?"

I smiled, and held it up to the red light carefully, holding it away from me. "Nope. Sorry. I think that it was the next one."

He nodded, and picked out the next negative. Usually, me and Dinobot did this, as sort of something that we did, to "bond," as he put it. We never usually got much work done, and ended up talking most of the time. On the other hand, he always seemed to know which negative I wanted to enlarge, and how I wanted to make it look. Usually, I used black-and-whites, but this time I was using color, which was more tricky. Luckily, as well, I had a double-door, with a transitioning room between them, so if Dinobot decided to join us, he could.

But we were in an argument, as usual, so he was probably sulking up on the roof. I had him this time, and he knew that I was right. He'd wait until tonight to apologize.

"So you and him in another fight?"

"Yep. Hand me the enlarger, if you would."

"What size paper?"

"Third from the top."

He frowned, then looked over my shoulder, at the negative I was carefully placing into the enlarger. "So . . . who's that?"

"One of my friends that I haven't seen in about a year. She's currently dealing with a few actors on her hands from some Japanese series."

"Such as?"

"Ah, Sanosuke Sagara from Rorouni Kenshin, for starters. Then she has multiple others, all who want her attention, including a Ryuichi Sakuma from Gravitation and a Kurosaki Ichigo from Bleach and then a Kurogane from Tsubasa. How about that?"

I heard the first door open with a screech, then a growl at the noise. I made the hinges like that on purpose so that nobody could sneak in on me and screw up the pictures. Waspinator looked over his shoulder then handed me the paper. "Ah. I have a few things to speak to Rattrap about, Sinead. I'll get back to you later and see how these came out."

I nodded, totally intent upon my current project. Whoever had entered knew not to disturb me when I was working on pictures. When I had finished, I turned to see Dinobot there, biting his lip. I leaned against the counter, and asked, "So?"

His voice was softer, less of the almost-laryngitic tones that he had while acting on the screen. It was slightly deeper as well and more kind, especially when he was talking to me. "I'm sorry."

"Really. What you said wasn't exactly what I could call friendly."

"I know. Forgive my actions."

"And you just don't want to sleep out on the couch."

He looked down. "That isn't it. I know that I'm in the wrong."

I walked over to him, and pulled his hands into my own, looking into his optics. "And I'm also sorry about saying what I did."

He smiled, and we set about developing the other pictures. It was a talent that he had learned from me, and that he actually enjoyed. In return, he was teaching me how to sword-fight.

"Yo! Lovebirds! You two kissin' in dere, or can I come in?"

I looked up at Dinobot, who yawned, and replied, "No, we're not kissing, and no, you can't come in."

"An' why not?"

"Because," I replied, "Last time you came in, you killed the negatives and we had to do the entire shoot all over again."

"Oh. Yeah. Forgot about that."

"Yeah. I didn't."

Dinobot reached over and locked to door. I smiled up at him, and we continued working on the photos. After all, a good husband helps you no matter what, eh?

"Rattrap! No posing like that!"

"Aw, but Sinead!"

"Do you want _this_ up your skidplate? How about _this_? Better yet, I can have a few people hold you still, while I maneuver them _both_in the way I want them up there! _Or will you stinkin' behave?!_"

He whimpered, and then nodded meekly. I nodded once, and he sighed, then stood normally, grinning nonchalantly at the camera. I took the picture, and then told him to go stand off to the side while Terrorsaur took his turn, grinning evilly to a 45-degree angle off of the camera. I wanted natural poses, so I told them just to pose themselves. As Rattrap demonstrated, that wasn't one of my best ideas.

The backdrop was a remote mountain range in Western Massachusetts just outside of North Adams, a town in the Berkshires. Megatron was next, and then Dinobot, who just looked off into the distance instead of looking at me. To me truthful, he was off in his own world, thinking about something that I couldn't read on his face. I took the picture without him knowing it, and then turned to the others, cupping my hand around my mouth as I yelled. "Team shots! Rampage, no shoving Terrorsaur down the mountain again. Megatron, I want you in the middle, there, with Inferno over to the left . . . a little farther away . . . there. Yo! Grimlock! By Rampage!"

"Oh, have it your way." You see, Grimlock was Dinobot's twin, and was cast as the clone since the two were born identical. He preferred the rugged, evil look that he now sported. I tolerated the bot, and he tolerated me. To be truthful, the only reason that he tolerated me was that his older brother, Dinobot, can still kick his sorry hide across the continent and back without a problem, no matter what form he sported. They were hilarious when in a wrestling match.

"Right. Two pictures! One just looking at the camera . . . there. Great! Evil grins, people!" They complied, then vacated the spot for the Maximals to group together. Rattrap and Dinobot bickered lightly, saying how once this shoot was over they'd go after each other with various forms of torture. I shook my head, taking pictures as they got into line just like I had done for the Predacons, then said, "Look at the camera!"

Dinobot hit Rattrap just as the shutter was going off. I glared at him then pointed to the other side of the group. "There. Now, please."

He rolled his eyes and did as I asked. Blackarachnia ran in at the last minute, flying across the scene. I sighed, and said, "I'm sorry, but I didn't know that auditions for _Spider-Girl_ was being carried out here."

She grinned, and stood from the place where she had skidded to a halt. Silverbolt shook his head. "And now you understand why I never hung out with step-siblings."

Tigatron, her husband, shook his head. "Love?"

She looked at me. "D'ya think that we can get time alone tonight?"

I grinned in reply. "D'ya think that we can finish shooting first?"

"You promised!"

"So did you!"

She laughed and I took two pictures, one normal, one of a genuine group pic. Basically, Rattrap was being held in a head-lock by his big brother, Dinobot, while Cheetor was grinning, sitting up on Depth Charge's shoulders, holding his gun to the ray-bot's head, while the other was holding _his_ gun to his younger brother's head. Airazor was held securely in her fiancé's, Rhinox's, arms, while Optimus had stomped over to his sons, Cheetor and Depth Charge, and looking exasperated. I took the picture, then a few more, as Dinobot introduced noogies to his younger brother's head, and I caught Rhinox and Airazor in a kiss that they had thought would go unnoticed.

I looked over at the Predacons and subtly indicated that they get in there as well. They did so, and gladly. Grimlock ran over to torment his younger brother as well as Blackarachnia ran over to Tigatron. He ended up swinging her off of her feet into a dipped kiss. Megatron went over to Depth Charge and Cheetor, his nephews, and gave them disappointing looks. Tarantulus annoyed Blackarachnia, his sister, who was still kissing Tigatron, while Transmutate showed up.

She cleared her throat, and said, "Thanks for the invitation, people."

Everyone stopped, and looked at her in shock. I caught that on film! Aah, it was a Kodak moment . . .


	2. Part Two

The Manner of the Crazy

By: Sinead

_**Author's Note:** Welcome back, and . . . wait for it . . . wait for it . . ._

Part Two

_There! That wasn't so hard, now was it?_

I was in the photo room with Dinobot beside me, helping me with enlarging the photos. I looked over and around his elbow until he moved his arm around my shoulders, then continued his work. Once the print was done, he put everything away and wrapped his arms around me fully. I smiled up at him and he kissed my forehead. I sighed, was almost bowled over by him, but I pushed him away, laughing. "Stoppit! And we still need four more prints!"

He sighed, and looked at me pleadingly. It didn't help that it was midnight and my resistance level to anything, never mind my tolerance, was in the negative numbers.

knock-knock

Dinobot gave me a disappointed look and I smiled at him, shaking my head. "Who is it?"

"Megatron."

"Don't you have Cheetor to hover over for something he's done wrong again?"

He poked his head in and said, "They're filming tomorrow, and they want you to take pictures."

I sighed and indicated the phone. "Wire 'em through."

Megs nodded then disappeared again. I picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Ah, yes. Are you Sinead?"

"Yes . . . ?"

"Right. Would you mind coming in tomorrow and taking some pictures of the episode?"

I sighed, and Dinobot set up the next piece of paper in the enlarger. I looked at him, smiling, and shook my head. "You know that tomorrow is my day off. These last two weeks, actually, I've been off. We're still on vacation for five more days. You knew that?"

His voice was weak. "Yes."

"So then why are you calling me in?"

"We kinda-sorta need your husband."

I glared at him and he looked at me in surprise. I sighed. "Really. And did he know of this?"

"There's a memo in his mailbox."

"At the office?"

"Well . . . yeah . . ."

I sighed. "Could you hold on a moment?" He grunted an affirmation, and I muted the phone. "They want you in tomorrow for the shoot. I think you're supposed to be in it. Memo's in the box, and I know that we haven't been anywhere near the office these past two weeks."

He snatched the phone out of my hands and said, "No. I'm not going in."

There was a reply, and he snorted. "Do I sound like I care that the shoot would be ruined? No? Good, because I don't."

He handed the phone back to me, and I said, "I think that I'll just stay home tomorrow. I'm being paid for this leave." I hung up and looked at Dinobot, who was leaning his forehead against the red glass of the window and staring blankly through at the dark landscape beyond. I finished developing a print and hung it up to dry. With a sigh, I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my head into his back. He didn't move, and I whispered, "You did the right thing, Dinobot."

With a sigh, he replied, "What if I didn't."

"DB, you know that the only reason that they had you 'killed off,' was because you are who you are."

"And that is?"

"You're a stubborn, back-talking guy who doesn't care if the truth hurts or not. I know you."

He chuckled. "Primus . . . we had one screwed-up wedding. I can't believe that it's only been three weeks since then."

I chuckled in return, and said, "Neither can I, but what was even screwier was the first time that we met, what, two years ago?"

He turned and smiled down at me, then rested his forehead on the top of my head and sighed through my hair. "I remember . . . a photographer was scheduled for a shoot right after some heavy filming. A full act, Sinead! We had to film half of that episode that day!" He shook his head. "Anyway, you should have been there to see how far the director was driven crazy. The photographer called in sick . . ."

"You know," I interrupted, "that he was faking it. He was scared to death of you guys!" Dinobot chuckled evilly. I looked up at him. "You scared him off, didn't you."

"Slag, yeah."

"How."

He smiled, and replied, "You know how on the Axalon's set, there was always a loose panel that was used to get onto the bridge secretly when we were late?"

"You threw Rattrap through it, didn't you."

"And Primal and Megatron were on the other side, getting their picture taken."

"Oh, you idiot."

He smiled again, and said, "What did you think of us when you first saw us?"

I sighed, and hid my face against his chest, and replied, laughing, "You were the goofiest bunch that I had ever come up against."

"We had a hard time knowing that we'd have to get used to another photographer. So we fooled around, thinking that we'd scare you off."

I looked up at him, smiling. "And you got me so ticked off that I brought in all of my own friends on the company picnic."

He faked a shudder. "I think that was the first time that I saw how alike we were."

"Not to admit . . . total opposites."

He smiled, and once everything was put away we went up to our room. I looked around and instantly suspected something. It was too quiet, and _way_ too neat to be our room. Dinobot stared at the floor-space. "I remember throwing something down," he grinned at me and I blushed silently, covering my eyes with a hand, "right over there. Don't know where it is, now. That sucks."

I glared at him, and he said, "But it can be replaced there . . ."

I indicated the closet, and he nodded, started to turn away, but then ran at me. I moved swiftly, and he looked at me in surprise as he hit the closet door. It came off of its hinges to reveal Tigatron. He looked in bewilderment at Dinobot, who was clutching his head and looking at the busted door. Blackarachnia and Airazor looked around the sides of the closet door, laughing at the stunned Dinobot. He rubbed his head, then called over to me, "I'll slagging get you for that."

I laughed and replied, "Yeah, sure. So what are you three up to?"

Blackarachnia chuckled, and replied, "Hah! Just wanna see what you two get up to, if you know what I mean."

"Out!" I yelled. "OUT!!! Get your mangy hides out of this room now, and if I find one bug in this room, I'll make your photographs hell! I did that to Tarantulus once! _You_ remember that issue!"

They skittered around the room, grabbed at a few things, then left. Tigatron came back in, just as I was starting to walk over to Dinobot, and grabbed something by the bureau, then closed the door again. The door opened, Tigatron's hand entered, turned the lock, and retreated again.

I sighed, and looked at Dinobot, who stood, and embraced me. I yawned, and rested my head against his chest. "Sleep . . ."

"I agree that it's a good idea . . . most nights."

"No."

"What do you mean, no? Why else would you refuse to go in for a full month after our wedding?"

"Photographing you and your foul-minded co-actors in more-embarrassing situations in the home environment, perhaps?"

"Nnnnhhh . . . you really are annoying."

"I love you, though."

"Aah, but . . ."

"But nothing!"

"Sinead . . ."

"Do I have to reinforce my statement with a chastity belt?"

". . . a what?"

"Nevermind. Forgot that you're not human."

"Thanks. I'm complemented. Really."

"You should be!"

"Sinead, love, please?"

"Fine. Forget the chastity belt. I'll make sure that _you_don't come near me!"

"I'm starting to dislike that look in your eye, Sinead."

"You know the term castration."

". . ."

"Don't think that I won't try it upon you if you keep insisting."

"Why do I have to be the first one?!"

"Fine! I'll fix Rattrap first!"

"Hah! Not possible. You know my little brother's already female!"

"Ah, darn. You're right. Could we settle upon . . . forget that, Tarantulus is a girlie, too."

"See?"

I sighed, and said, "No 'fun-time' tonight, but some time later on may prove to have better results."

"Seriously? And why not the rest of this week, Sinead? You almost banned me from the room twice!" he replied.

I blinked dully at him. "You really are that thick, aren't you?"

"What? What are you talking about, Sinead?"

I told him, and his face paled. I guess he didn't know about how human females dread one week in every four. He swayed upon his feet, and I had to lead him to a chair quickly, to sit him down. "Are you okay?"

He groaned, and shook his head. "How can you stand that?"

"What? Stand what?"

"Bleeding . . . blood. That stuff."

I blinked at him. "You really are amazing, you know that? You're a warrior, and you hate blood."

Dinobot hid his head in his hands again. I laughed, and pulled his head to rest upon my shoulder, kissing his cheek. It would be a long week, I already knew, but it would be even _longer_ for Dinobot.


	3. Part Three

The Manner of the Crazy

By: Sinead

Part Three

"You two were awful silent last night."

Dinobot leapt over the table, and plastered his brother, Grimlock, up against the wall. "Not. Now."

Rattrap walked in, blinked at his elder twin brothers, and said, "Coffee ready?"

I pointed to the mainly-empty pot, shaking my head, and then said,"Dinobot, will you knock it off, please?"

He did and sat back down, letting his head rest upon the table. For some reason he didn't sleep all that well last night. I guess that he really _was_ shocked about what I said to him. Yeek, that wouldn't be good. I hope it doesn't last.

Blackarachnia walked in and snagged a mug, before waiting in line for the coffee to stop brewing. She looked over to me, and asked, "You get any action last night?"

I glared at her. "No, and it was my choice."

"Oh. Why?"

I walked over to her and leaned against the counter. "Do females of your type go through a monthly reproduction cycle?"

She grinned. "Tsh, ya. Not as messy as humans . . . oh. _Oh._ That _sucks_, Sinead!"

"Yeah, Dinobot didn't know, and he's still freaked about how messy we human females are."

"Ah, well, whatever. He'll have to get used to it. You guys are married after all." She turned the mug over in her hands, then looked at me. "Did you hear that they're going to be doing a follow- up series after Beast Wars?"

I nodded. "Yeah. You guys are finishing Nemesis, Part One, right now, and you get a year or so off after Part Two before Beast Machines filming starts up."

"Can we expect little Sineads and Dinobots running around by the time we're into filming?" Rattrap teased as I was trying to warn him to shut up as quietly as possible.

Dinobot turned in his chair to glare at Rattrap. "Sinead, let me kill him."

I shook my head. "No, that's murder, even if it _is_Rattrap. And if you want your coffee, even though I don't know _how_ you can abide the smell of the stuff, you're going to be quiet and wait nicely."

His eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned back around to lean his elbows upon the table. Grimlock was glaring at me. I sighed, and Dinobot hit Grimlock's elbow. "Stop glaring at her, Grim. I don't care that you don't like her."

"Dino–"

Dinobot just turned and glared at his brother. Rattrap crowed out in a victorious note, and snagged the coffee pot, pouring his mug nearly to the rim before handing it off to Blackarachnia. She handed me the pot afterwards, and I looked at Grimlock. "You want your coffee while I'm at it?"

"Why would you care?" Grimlock asked, his right optic narrowing slightly.

"Well, I _am_holding the pot, and there _is_ an extra mug in the cabinet beside me . . ."

"Two sugars."

I shrugged, and poured him a mug. This was a start. Last time I offered, he snatched his mug from me, and proceeded to ignore me until I had finished making Dinobot's coffee. Once I was out of the way, he had made his mug then walked off to the back porch. I don't know why he doesn't like me.

Once both mugs were finished, I brought them over, and sat next to Dinobot with my tea. Grimlock took a sip, and then blinked, and sipped at it again. Dinobot looked at me, as his brother gulped half of his mug down. Once he put the mug back onto the table, he leaned towards Grimlock and asked with a smirk, "What, no comments?"

Grimlock looked a little sheepish. "No."

"Really."

"So now I know why you like her to make _your_ coffee in the morning, okay?! Slag off."

I smiled, and took a sip of my tea, then said, "You're welcome."

Rattrap laughed, and said, "So how much do I hafta pay you t' make _my_coffee in th' mornin'?"

I blinked at him, then said, "You can't. If I want to make your coffee, I will. Otherwise, you'll have to deal with what _you_ make. And since you were first at the pot today, you wait until the sludge at the bottom tomorrow."

Rattrap's shoulders fell. "Forgot about dat rule."

Cheetor walked into the room, looked at the pot, then grimaced. "Yeah, well, I didn't. I gotta wait until two more people make their coffee to get mine!"

I gave him a dull look. "So make Tigatron and Rhinox each a mug. You know that they won't complain."

"Rhinox doesn't like coffee, remember?" Grimlock snorted.

I blinked. "Oh. Yeah. So make Megs a mug instead."

Cheetor set about to do that, while Rattrap sighed. "Great. I'm gonna be makin' people coffee all mornin', before I can get my own mug. Dat's da deal?"

I nodded. "This has been going on for months, Rattrap. Where were you?"

"Sleepin' in until ten."

"Lazy brat," Dinobot and Grimlock growled in unison at their young brother.

Rattrap grinned, and brought his mug out to the living room. I looked up at Dinobot, who sighed, and nodded. "Right. What's our schedule today?"

"Today?" I asked. "Today we're in the backyard with action poses. Fighting and crap like that. But I have a roll to develop first thing after breakfast."

"So when the shoot?" Cheetor asked from his coffee-making.

"Eleven until noon. Anyone see Transmutate?" I asked, draining my tea, and standing.

Grimlock shrugged, and snagged my mug, as well as his brother's, then walked over to the sink. "Get food, then get developing. I'll take the dishes today."

I shrugged, and put two slices of bread in the toaster. "Okay."

"What, would _you_ prefer to be stuck with dishes?" he asked, as he began scrubbing at the mugs.

I grinned at him. "Usually I force it upon Terrorsaur, Tarantulus, Scorpinok or Inferno. And you know how much Inferno likes water."

Grimlock turned back to the sink, but I saw his reflection in the window over the sink. He was grinning as well. "Ah, yes. Forgot about that. Henh. 'Eek! I'm drowning! Save me!' It was a slaggin' blasted _puddle_two feet deep!"

Cheetor laughed, then freed up more space in the kitchen by taking the mugs on a tray around to where Tigatron was sprawled out on a couch, still half-asleep with his head upon his wife's lap. I smiled at the happy surprise from Tigatron, then looked back to the toaster. Dinobot was watching my and his brother's exchange with a smile, and he rose to toss me the tub of margarine from the fridge. "Hurry up. You still have to get changed."

"Kiss my butt."

"Not today, but remind me later about that."

"Gee, aren't _you_the loving husband," I snapped over my shoulder.

He kissed my cheek, and growled in return, "You wait until you're free at night."

"That so? Whaddya gonna do, bite me?"

"Maybe I will, now that you mention it. Can I choose where?"

"Primus, you two!" Grimlock snapped, turning to glare at us. By now, I was leaning backwards against Dinobot, waiting for an inevitable kiss. His arm was around my waist, about to turn me around. The younger twin blinked at us. "Get to your room before you start the slagging lovemaking!"

I blinked at him. "That's not even our ususal foreplay, so slag off."

He blinked back. "You're catching onto our terminology, too?! This can't be good."

I grinned, and Dinobot turned me to land a proper kiss upon my lips. "There. Now, no more whining until _you_ say it's safe to play again."

Grimlock left the room with a groan. I looked up at Dinobot. "I think that you over-did it."

"With _him_? Nah. He _never_ could stand me when I was around a girlfriend."

"So I'm not your first?" I asked.

". . . first? First kiss, no, sorry . . . but everything else, yes. You were, and are, my first." He blinked at me, suddenly wary.

I wrapped my arms around his chest, then said, "If you're forgetting our conversation on the first night, you're _really_losing your mind. You know that I've never been with anyone else."

"Slag, I know. I'm sorry I forgot."

I smiled up at him. "Nah, don't worry about it. Would you go set up downstairs while I get changed?"

He nodded, and I walked off to our room with my toast.

"Rattrap, you _knew_ you were going to end up like that if you continued to annoy Grimlock like you were. Will you knock it off?" I asked, glaring at him from one side of the camera. Grimlock was sitting upon Rattrap, twisting his foot slightly.

"But you should know how fun it is ta annoy 'ya siblin's!"

"Yes, but _not_ in a photo shoot!" I sighed, and shook my head. "Oh, nevermind. Depth Charge! Rampage! Get over here!"

The two best friends grinned to each other, cracked their knuckles, then attacked each other. I snapped a few frames, then yelled over the din of screeching metal, and severely protesting servo motors, "You're good! Gimme a 'best pals' pose!"

They stood, one arm hooked around each other's neck, and grinned at the camera. I gave them a thumb's-up, and then looked over at Silverbolt, who was talking to Transmutate. "There you are! Transmutate, you and Rampage pose for me, please?"

She nodded, then asked, "You actually told me where you were shooting this time."

I grinned. "_You_ ignored the memo last time!"

She grinned in return, and then smiled normally. "Sorry about that."

"Whatever. C'mon, make a cute scene?"

Rampage took upon a wary stance, while one hand rested upon Transmutate's shoulder, keeping her close while glaring at the camera the entire time. Meanwhile, she was looking up at him as if he was the world to her. I took a few different shots from a few angles, then said, "Right. You're done."

Dinobot rested his chin upon the top of my head, and asked, "Are you done?"

"Nearly." I looked around at the rest of the crew. "Alright! Everyone but Grimlock and Dinobot are done! And I need a few things done around the house! Sheets, blankets, and towels have to be washed, as well as the windows! Tiles and linoleum have to be mopped, and the carpets vacuumed! I don't care who does it, but it has to be done, 'cause I'm not gonna live in a dump!"

They took off, all ready to do the jobs. It was a good day to play with water, so washing the windows was a favorite on everyone but Inferno's list. He'd take the vacuuming I looked at Grimlock and Dinobot then said, "Alright. They asked for a photo that would have the two of you in the same exact pose, and altered in a way that it looks as if you're one person with two halves. It's for that article about you two. You remember, the one with the kid who wouldn't shut up about how cool you were, Grim?"

The younger twin smirked.

"Will this be taken in the basement?" Dinobot asked.

"Yep. Let's go."

I set the lights up just the way that I liked, and then fiddled with the camera a little. Grimlock was watching my movements intently. I looked at Dinobot, then said, "I just need to catch the range. Step in?"

He stood upon a mark, then looked at the camera. I took a picture, then hissed a mild cuss under my breath, and walked over to one of the lights and shifted it slightly so that it wasn't directly upon Dinobot, but more in front of him. I looked through the viewfinder and flashed the lights, not taking a picture, then nodded. "All right. Hands like this, head angled slightly downwards, one foot on each of those marks."

Dinobot did as I asked. "This good?"

I checked through the camera, focusing a few more times, making minute alterations. "Nearly. Head down a slight bit more . . . good. Hold that . . ." I clicked the shudder and then asked, "Grimlock, can you imitate that pose _precisely_?"

"Of course."

"Thank you. Dinobot?"

He moved off, and I instantly saw something wrong with the idea. "Shoot. Your tail."

"Slag."

"That's okay; we'll take two of every pose, one with your tail to one side, the other with it to the other side. Ready?"

He bowed his head, took up the stance, then sighed and looked back up at the camera. I held my hand up, and said,"Tell me what you want to once this shoot is over and the prints are drying. I can't lose concentration on how I planned the poses."

"Right. Sorry."

"Don't be. Bow your head?"

It went well, and I soon was able to get the film developed. The proofs and prints were all hanging up to dry. I sighed and left the room, locking it after me, and turned to see Grimlock waiting there. I smiled. "Hey. What is it?"

"Why do you not dislike me? You could, and that would work out fine, but instead you just keep doing things for me."

I smiled, and replied, "Because you're my husband's twin. You're his closest sibling, and the one to whom he confides to. I just guess that I was hoping for that kind of friendship with you, too."

He blinked, then sighed and said quietly, "That's why I tried to push you off. You've . . ."

"I've supposedly taken your place. Is that why you hate me?"

"I don't hate you!" he snapped, look up at me fiercely. "I just . . . I just didn't want you to take my brother away."

I reached up to rest my hand upon the top of his head, and was about to speak when my husband's voice came out from the shadows behind Grimlock. "Grim, she's never taken your place. She has her own place that's on a separate level from you, sure, but _nobody_can take your place as my brother."

Grimlock turned to face Dinobot, then sighed and looked back at me. I smiled reassuringly, and said,"I never wanted to be at odds with you."

He chuckled, then shook his head. "So I've been blind these past few weeks."

"Horrible so, but I don't have a complaint about it," I said lightly, starting to walked up stairs, where I heard a movie being played. "Besides. Why worry about what's in the past?"

Dinobot caught up to me, tossed me up on his shoulder, and carried me past the movie. I yelled and hung onto a corner."Hey! I wanna watch it! C'mon, please? Dinobot!"

"You're coming to bed," he growled.

Rattrap laughed, while Depth Charge reached over and pushed my fingertips off of the wall. "Go listen to your husband, will you? And keep it down!"

I stared at his grinning face in shock.

"So?"

"Shut up. I'm still supposed to be angry with you."

"After all that?"

"Yes."

"Ahh, you liked it."

"You only kissed me."

"I know. But you liked it."

". . . yeah . . ."

"You're hard to please, Sinead."

"Only sometimes. Ow!!! Hey! What was that for?!"

"Didn't you tell me to bite you?"

I just stared at him, then shook my head and replied, "You take things _way_too literally."

He chuckled, moving closer for another kiss. "True." (Kiss.) "However," (kiss) "you actually" (kiss) "enjoyed" (kiss) "that little" (kkiiiisssssssssss) "love-nip."

"Ooh, you . . ."

"I'm what, now?"

"Awesome. Kiss me again."

He chuckled, and we curled up together on our bed, in our darkened room with the shades pulled tightly shut, content with each other. He sighed and I relaxed in his arms, completely at peace with who we both were. I ended up falling asleep there.


End file.
